X-ray apparatus



y 29, 1962 A. J. KIZAUR ETAL 3,037,119

X-RAY APPARATUS Filed NOV. 2, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

ARTHUR J. KIZAUR EDWARD A. LABUS y 1962 A. J. KIZAUR rAL 3,037,119

- X-RAY APPARATUS Filed Nov. 2, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ARTHURJ. KIZAUR EDWARD A. LABUS MAzW ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,037,119X-RAY APPARATUS Arthur J. Kizaur and Edward A. Labus, Brookfield, Wis.,assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York FiledNov. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 850,369 Claims. (Cl. 250-91) This inventionrelates to X-ray equipment and more particularly to apparatus forpositioning an X-ray source or tube at any selected horizontal orvertical location with respect to a work station.

When X-ray tube positioners are used to cover a large area in order toperform radiography several conditions must be met before theinstallation can be considered fully satisfactory. First, the highvoltage cables supplying the-source must be supported so that they donot interfere with the operating personnel. Secondly, the cables must besupported without oatenary droop and in a state of tensile equilibriumso as to impose no force or re.- sistance on the source which would tendto change its position or impede its free movement. Thirdly, it isdesirable that the cables be supported so that moving them by changingthe position of the source requires small but equal effort for anydirection of motion. Fourth, it is prefer-able for practical andesthetic reasons that the cables and all mechanism for controlling thepositioner be concealed from the view of the patient and operatingpersonnel.

Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide anX-ray source positioner with improved means for handling the variouselectric high voltage and control cables associated with operation ofthe source.

Another object is to provide means for changing the disposition of thecable in order to compensate its length for various positions of theX-ray source and to bring about this result with the imposition of onlya minimum frictional restraint to the end that the positioner may bemanipulated in any direction with equal and small physical or mechanicalelfort.

A further object is to arrange the cables so they are not subjected tosmall radius bends or abrading frictional contact that might bring aboutpremature electrical or mechanical failure.

Yet another object is to provide means which, to the greatest extentconceals the cables and other positioning mechanism from view, thismeans comprising a flexible but laterally self supporting curtain whoseoperating mechanism is also designed for minimum restraint on the sourcepositioner and which requires substantially equal forces for anydirection of movement.

Other more specific objects will appear from time to time throughout thecourse of the specification.

X-ray apparatus embodying the invention may be generally characterizedas comprising a. hollow open bottom beam extending laterally from andmounted for rolling movement on a stationary track disposedlongitudinally of a room. An X-ray source carriage is in turn mounted onrails carried interiorly of the beam and the carriage includes amultiple section telescopic column supporting an X-r-ay tube casing atits lower end. The column extends through the open bottom of the beamand is adapted to be moved bodily along the beam. A novel curtainmechanism is provided for closing the opening in the beam regardless ofthe X-ray sources lateral position.

Electric cables, emanating from X-ray tube control apparatus and from ahigh voltage supply, enter the beam at one end and run along itsinterior in a lengthwise direction whereupon they are reentrantly bentto follow the opposite side of the beam. Then they emerge downwardlythrough an opening between the curtain reels for making an externalconnection to the X-ray source mounted below on the telescoping column.Means are also provided for handling the electric cable and maintainingconstant tension therein for various positions of the tube carriage.

A more detailed description of what is considered a preferred embodimentof the invention will now be set forth in reference to the followingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective plan view, with parts broken away, of an X-raytube positioner embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of various parts of the positionerembodying the invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the beam, with parts broken away, showingdetails of the curtain operating mechanism; and,

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing the relationship between theelectric cable and the curtain mechanism.

In FIG. 1 of the drawing, there is shown a universally positionableX-ray source 10 carried on the lower end of a vertical telescopic column11 which is adapted for movement lengthwise of a hollow beam member,generally designated by the reference numeral 12.. Beam member 12 isprovided with end rollers 13 engaged with wall mounted stationary rails14 that enable movement of the beam lengthwise of an operating or X-raydiagnostic room.

The beam or bridge member 12 comprises a pair of side members in theform of channels 15 arranged in parallelism and opposed relation withrespect to each other. The two channels are tied together at oppositeends by a suitable end plate member 16 in order to impart rigidity tothe structure and to provide means for journaling the rollers 13. On therespective vertical walls inside of side members 15 are provided nails17 and on the top of one side member 15 is provided a rail 17 in theform of rectangular sectioned bars on which a tube carriage plate 18 isadapted to roll and be guided while traversing the length of the beammember .12.. For this purpose carriage plate 18 is provided withhorizontal axis guide rollers 19 and vertical axis rollers 20 thatcooperate with rails 17 and 17' respectively to maintain plate 18 invertical and transverse alignment with respect to the beam 12. Carriageplate 18 has allixed directly to its underside and by any suitablebracket means a vertically extending, square cross-sectionnon-telescoping hollow column 2.1. Additional column sections 22, 22'may be arranged to telescope within section 21 and within each other inorder to provide for vertical movement of X- ray source 10'.

The various sections 22 of the telescopic X-ray source f0 support aremaintained in selected vertical location by means of a balancing systemwhich is illustrated to the extent that its coaction with one verticallymovable section 22 is shown, see FIGS. 1 and 2. The counterbalancingsystem is seen to comprise a pulley 23 journaled on the inside oftelescoping section 22. A wire rope 24 is looped over a pulley 23 andeach leg of the rope extends vertically upwardly through an aperture 25in car-- riage plate 18 and over a pair of pulleys 26, 26' that aresuitably journaled on plate 18 by any conventional bearing support, notshown. In FIGS. 1 and 2 it will be seen that one side of the wire rope2'4 runs to the right over 26 and over another fixed pulley 27 whereuponthe Wire rope returns to the remotely opposite foreground end of thebeam 12 where it passes over another pulley 28 carried on end plate 16and then it emerges and terminates in a wall anchored attachment 29. Theother end of the cable 24 running over pulley 26 extends immediately totheleft in FIG. 1 after it leaves vertical column 21 and runs overanother stationary pulley 28 whereupon it emerges and extends to theright where it rides on a pulley 30. The wire rope extends verticallyafter passing over pulley 36 to a point where it has attached a pulleysupported counterweight 31, see FIG. 2.

The purpose of this arrangement is to permit carriage plate 18 totraverse along beam 12 without afiecting or changing the verticalelevation of the X-ray source 10. In order words, when the tube sourceis shifted from left to right in FIG. 1, for example, wire rope 24merely feeds over pulleys 26', 23 and 26, increasing the length of rope24 between pulleys 28' and 26 and decreasing rope length between pulleys26 and 27. Such movement of the X- ray source in a horizontal plane doesnot affect the elevation of counterweight 31.

On the other hand, when one of the movable sections 22 is telescopedupwardly in fixed support section 21, the counterweight 31 assists bymoving downwardly so that only the small frictional forces in the systemneed be overcome by the operator who is positioning the tube carriage atthe desired vertical elevation. When a section 22 is moved downwardlythe converse occurs.

Each telescoping section 22, two of which are shown, has its own pulley,rope and counterweight system. The number of systems needed correspondswith the number of telescoping sections employed. In a commercialembodiment, there are actually two such wire rope systems using a commoncounterweight for each telescoping section 22 each of which has a wirerope like 24 capable of sustaining the full load by itself. The secondwire rope system acts as a safety support in the even one of the wireropes fails.

Attention is now invited to the novel means provided for handling theelectric cables 35, that supply X-ray source 10, and that are concealedwithin beam member 12. Usually there are two high voltage supplyelectric cables 35 and at least one control cable, not shown, whichemanate from the beam member 12 and terminate in the vicinity of X-raysource 10 exteriorly of the beam member. In this illustration of theinvention only one cable 35 is shown in order to avoid confusion in thedrawing. Those versed in the art will be able to carry out the exampleto handle any desired number of cables.

Cable 35 may originate at a high voltage power source 36, see FIG. 2,and run horizontally over a large drum wheel 37, which may be ofplastic, and is journaled for rotation on carriage plat 39. Rollers 38on the carriage plate 39 are adapted to bear on a track 40 supportedparallel to the stationary longitudinal track 14 that supportstransversely extending movable beam assembly 12. Cable 35, see FIG. 1,after looping over wheel 37, extends through a suitable aperture 41 andinto the interior of beam 12. It is desirable to clamp cable 35immediately on the inside of aperture 41. One leg of cable 35 thenextends along the bottom 42 of channel side member whereupon it makes are-entrant loop 35' and returns on the opposite side of the beamassembly 12 in a parallel passageway constituting the bottom 42 of otherchannel member 15. It then emerges vertically from beam 12 through asuitable opening on the side of fixed column member 21 whereupon cable35 extends through space next to column sections 21, 22, with someslack, to the X-ray source 10.

The re-entrant bend portion 35' of the cable 35 is formed over a take-upcarriage plate 44 which has several stacks of grooved pulleys 45 thatimpart the desired curvature of the cable. Usually a plurality of cablesare used and three or more pulleys 45 may be stacked over each other andarranged for rotation on a common spindle. Then all cables are parallelto each in different horizontal planes.

Take-up carriage 44 is adapted to move along beam 12 one-half thedistance that tube carriage plate 18 traverses along the beam when theX-ray source 10 is manipulated into a different horizontal position bythe operator. For this purpose, cable take-up carriage 44 is provided onits sides with rollers 46 that bear in rolling engagement on the bottom42 of channel side member 4 15. Another set of rollers 47 mounted forrotation on the bottom of take-up carriage 44, see FIG. 3, engage with atrack 48 of right angular cross section that is afiixed to the inside ofchannel 15 bottom 42 in order to guide the take-up carriage 44 in thebeam member 12 against lateral shifting.

To assure that frictional drag of electric cable 35 is minimized andequalized so as to impart no force to the source carriage and in orderto assist flexing of the cable 35 and prevent it from fouling, amechanical advantage system is used to move the take-up carriage 44.This system comprises a wire rope 51 that is fixed at one end to thebeam member through the agency of a rope tensioning coil spring 52. Wirerope 51 then extends over a pulley 53 which is rotatably mounted on thebottom of take-up carriage 44. The wire rope 51 extends further to afixed pulley 54 at the far right end of beam member 12 in FIG. 1whereupon it loops back to the far left end and over another pulley 55.It then terminates in a connection 56 with X-ray source support carriage18. It will be evident that when source carriage 18 is shifted to theright in FIG. 1, for example, a tensile force will be exerted on wirerope 51 that will be transmitted therethrough to exert a correspondingforce on take-up carriage 44 which will be translated toward the righthalf the distance through which the source carriage 18 is moved, therebybringing about a mechanical advantage while at the same time maintainingboth legs of cable 35 in a straight equal tension condition. A converseaction takes place when carriage 18 is shifted to the left in which casetensile force is imparted to the cable 51 through the translation ofpulley 53 that is mounted on take-up carriage 44. In either case,take-up carriage 44 translates half the distance of tube carriage 18 sothat movement of the latter is accounted for by division between eachleg of cable 35.

An advantage of this system is its low frictional forces and lack ofdrag on the cable 35 as a result of it being merely laid out where it issupported on the bottom 42 of channel members 15. Flexing parts of thecable are never bent sharply. Cables 35 are largely suspended in spaceso that they make little frictional contact. The principal butinsignificant energy requirement is the small amount necessary toovercome friction inherent in the ball bearings supporting pulleys 45 onthe take-up carriage 44 and the small flexing force involved inreforming the re-entrant loop 35' when carriage 18 is moved.

Means are also provided, see FIGS. 1 and 2, for maintaining electriccable 35 unfouled and in a condition of constant tension exterior ofbeam assembly 12 between exit aperture 41, where the cable emerges fromthe end of beam member 12, and an X-ray source Power supply 36. Asoutlined earlier, cable 35 extends over a large plastic wheel 37 that isjournaled for rotation on a plate 39 which is in turn mounted on rollers38, bearing on part of a stationary track 40. A wire rope 59 forpositioning wheel 37 so that it translates half the distance throughwhich beam member 12 is moved longitudinally of the room connectsfixedly to the beam member at anchor point 60 and extends over a pulley61 that may be journaled for rotation on a pivot that is fixed to anysuitable support such as at the far right end of track 40, for example.The wire rope 59 after looping around the pulley 61 extends to anothersimilarly mounted pulley 62 whereupon it loops back and runs over acarriage plate mounted pulley 63 whence it terminates in an anchorconnection 64. Thus, wheel 37 is translated, through the wire rope andpulley system, half the distance through which the beam member 12 movesalong track 14 and cable 35 is taut at all times.

Although it forms no part of the instant invention, means are providedfor stabilizing beam member 12 in order that both ends remain at perfectright angles with respect to longitudinal track 14 when the beam ismoved therealong. By referring to FIG. 2, one may see that there isprovided a wire rope 66 that terminates at anchor connections 67 and 68near opposite ends of the room. Supported on the beam member are a pairof pulleys 69 over which are run the wire ropes originating fromopposite directions and which extend along the full length of beammember 12 whereupon they pass over pulleys 70, 71 and 72 in acriss-cross manner and thereupon extend to opposite points Where theyterminate at 67' and 68'. By this arrangement, any force that would tendto skew the beam member with respect to stationary track 14 is correctedby a converse tensile force set up in the crisscross cable.

It is highly desirable that the mechanism and electric cables interiorof box-like beam assembly 12 be concealed in order to enhance theesthetic quality of the X- ray apparatus without introducing mechanicalcomplications or increasing the manual effort required for positioningthe X-ray source over a work station. In accordance with the presentinvention the interior of hollow beam assembly 12 is obscured from viewbelow the beam by a translucent curtain 81, which may be a substanceknown by the registered trademark Mylar, that bridges the rrctangulargap between side members 15 and that extends ft. om each end of beam 12to closely on opposite sides of fixed source carriage column 21.

In FIG. 3 particularly, one may see that the curtain 81 is divided intotwo sections each of which is adapted to be rolled and unrolled from apair of similar reels 74 that are provided with shafts 76 journaled forrotation in brackets 75. The brackets may be attached by screws or othersuitable means to X-ray source carriage plate 18.

The ends of each respective curtain 81 section are anchored at remotelyopposite ends of beam assembly 12 by a strap 79 that spans between sidemembers 15, see FIG. 3. Immediately below the bottom flanges 42 ofchannel side members 15 and at thin inner margins, a decorative strip 80running the length of beam 12 is provided for supporting curtain 81 atits edges. Further guidance for the curtain is obtained by it fittingbetween upwardly turned flange edges 82 on the channel bottoms 42.

It is desirable that the curtain 81 should be flat and without any sagacross its Width as it spans between side members 15. For this reasonthe curtain has small integrally formed ribs 83 that may be spaced atintervals in order to impart the necessary rigidity without affectingits flexibility insofar as rolling is concerned.

The present invention seek-s to operate the curtain without storingenergy in springs as is customary and without at any time bringing aboutany dragging movement of the curtain that would manifest itself as anincreased frictiona1 force and in curtain wear. This is important whereall possible restraints on the X-ray source must be eliminated in viewof the technician positioning the source manually in the absence ofmotor drive means. It is also important that the effort for operatingthe curtain be equal and constant for any position or direction.

To handle the curtain 81 so it merely lays out on the support strips 80without dragging, the two reels 74 are coupled for simultaneous rotationby means of an endless flexible member comprising chain 78 that runsover wheels in the form of sprockets 77 carried on the ends of reelshafts 76. Since each curtain section is anchored at an end, movement ofthe carriage 18 and reels 74 in either direction will cause one of thelatter to roll curtain 81 and the other to unroll at the same rate, soregardless of the source carriage 18 position the same total amount ofcurtain will be handlai by the reels. Space is allowed between reels 74for passing the cable 35 downwardly next to column 21 and to the X-raysource 10.

In summary, the foregoing specification has described an overhead X-raytube hanger that features handling the electric supply and controlcables in such manner that the force requirements for changing verticalor horizontal locations of the X-ray source are extremely low. Thecables, although being concealed from view to a large extent and beingin proximity with other mechanism, are

adapted for being moved without interfering with other moving parts ofthe apparatus. Further, a curtain is provided for impressing theapparatus with a heretofore inexperienced esthetic quality resultingfrom obscuring moving mechanical parts of the apparatus from view. Thecurtain and its operating mechanism feature requiring balanced forcesfor operation in either direction and the absence of any stored energydevice or dragging of the curtain to the end that wear and operatingforces are minimized.

Although what is contemplated as a preferred way of practicing theinvention has been described, those versed in the art will now perceivefrom this example modifications and alternatives demonstrating that theinvention may be variously embodied. The inventive concepts in volved,however, are to be determined by the scope and construction of theclaims which follow.

It is claimed:

1. X-ray source positioning apparatus comprising longitudinally disposedstationary track means, beam means extending laterally from andsupported on said longitudinal track means for movement therealong, anX-ray source carriage supported for movement along said beam means, anelectric cable extending into said beam means and re-entrantly bent toform two substantially straight parallel cable portions one of which isattached to said source carriage for movement therewith, meanscompensating for the length of cable required for various positions ofthe source carriage on said beam means, said last named means includingtake-up carriage means engaging said cable in the region of itsre-entrant bend, a plurality of rope sheave means at least one of whichis rotatably mounted on said take-up carriage means and others of whichare rotatably mounted near opposite ends of said beam meansrespectively, rope means attached at one end to said source carriagemeans and passing around said other sheave means and said one sheavemeans into attachment with said beam means, said rope means beingadapted to translate said take-up carriage means a lesser distance thanthe distance which the source carriage is moved.

2. X-ray source positioning apparatus comprising stationary longitudinaltrack means, beam means extending laterally and supported from saidtrack means for movement therealong, said beam means including parallelspaced apart side members defining an opening substantially coextensivewith the length of said beam means,

an X-ray source carriage supported for movement along said beam meansand having an element thereof extending through said opening, anelectric cable extending into said beam means and re-entrantly bent toform two parallel cable portions one of which is attached to said sourcecarriage means for movement therewith, means associated with said sidemembers defining parallel passageways for accommodating portions of saidelectric cable on opposite sides of said opening, cable take-up carriagemeans engaging said electric cable in the region of its re-entrant bend,said take-up carriage means being mounted for movement along said beammeans, and means connecting said take-up carriage with said X- raysource carriage so that movement of the latter will translate the towerto compensate for the change in cable length and thereby maintain sidesof said cable straight in said passageways.

3. X-ray source positoning apparatus comprising beam means, said beammeans including spaced apart parallel side members defining asubstantially rectangular open ing therebetween, an X-ray sourcecarriage rollably sup ported on said beam means for movement lengthwisethereof, said source carriage including an element extending throughsaid opening, a fixed length of electric cable passing into said beammeans and out in the region of said element, said electric cable beingre-entrantly bent between said side members to form two par-allel cableportions one of which is attached to said source carriage for movementtherewith, means associated with said side members forming parallelchannel passageways for accommodating respective parallel cable portionson opposite sides of said opening, cable take-up carriage means engagingsaid cable in the region of its re-entrant bend, said last named meansbeing mounted for movement along said beam means, and means connectingboth said carriage means together so that movement of one translates theother to maintain said cable portions in substantially constant tensionand in substantially straight condition in opposite passageways.

4. The invention set forth in claim 3 including means for concealing thecable and cable handling mechanism from view through said rectangularopening, said concealing means comprising a pair of reel means supportedon said source carriage means with their axes of rotation spaced andparallel with each other, curtain means attached on each reel means forreeling thereon and each having an end attached near respectivelyopposite ends of said beam means so that said opening is closed in bothdirections from said movable source carriage.

5. The invention set forth in claim 4 including wheel means axiallyconnected with each reel means at a corresponding end thereof, a memberjointly engaging said wheel means for concurrent rotation when saidsource carriage is moved along said opening, whereby the force requiredto move said source carriage to operate the curtain means issubstantially equal for any direction or position thereof.

6. An X-ray source positioner comprising beam means, said beam meansincluding side members connected with each other and having horizontallydisposed portions defining passageways for an elongate flexible cablesubstantially coextensive with its length, X-ray source support meansmounted for movement lengthwise of said beam means between said sidemembers, a continuous electric cable extending into said beam means andhaving one portion lying in said passageway and another portion which isre-entrantly bent and lying in a substantially horizontal plane andstill another portion continuing from said bent portion lying in theother passageway at the other side of said beam means, said cableprojecting outside of said beam means adjacent said source supportmeans, and a carriage means mounted for movement along said beam meansand supporting said cable in the region of its re-entrant bend.

7. An overhead supported X-ray source positioner comprising asubstantially closed hollow beam means having an elongate opening in itsbottom, an X-ray source "supportmember extending through said opening,said member being movable lengthwise of said opening, a pair of reelswith their axes parallel and spaced from each other, curtain meanshaving corresponding ends attached to the reels for winding thereon andopposite ends attached to the remote opposite ends of the beam means,said curtain means spanning said opening on the bottom of the beam meansto conceal from view the interior of the beam means, and electric cablemeans extending from the interior of said beam means into connectionwith said source through the space between said reel means.

8. The invention set forth in claim 7 wherein each reel means hassprocket means coaxially attached, and an endless chain engaging bothsprockets for joint rotation when said curtain means are operated bymovement of said source carriage.

9. The invention set forth in claim 7 wherein the curtain meansconstitutes a pliable plastic member having integral ribs across itswidth at spaced intervals to impart stifiness across the opening andallow flexibility along the length thereof.

10. An X-ray source positioner mechanism concealing assembly, comprisinga hollow elongate member having an opening therein through whichmechanism would ordinarily be visible, an X-ray source support extendingthrough the opening and being movable therealong, a pair of reels spacedfrom each other and rotatably mounted on said source support, a flexiblecurtain on each reel with a curtain end attached to a respectivelyopposite end of the hollow member, wheel means attached axially of eachreel, and an endless flexible member connecting the wheel means togetherfor joint rotation when the source support undergoes translation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,553,901 Hynes Sept. 15, 1925 2,712,080 Koerner June 28, 1955 2,737,596Haupt Mar. 6, 1956 2,866,101 Wagner Dec. 23, 1958 2,894,140 SchneemanJuly 7, 1959

